Conveyancing Fees

Askews Legal LLP is fully regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). This means that by law we are required to be fully transparent in our pricing. Below you will find all the information concerning our pricing for Conveyancing services.

If you have additional questions, please call us on 02476 231000 or email enquiries@askewslegal.co.

Fixed fee service

We offer a fixed fee service. Our fee is calculated upon the sale/purchase/re-mortgage value. Fees can range from £350-1000 plus VAT, depending upon the nature of the transaction.

To provide a precise estimate, we will need to consider the following:

• Whether you are a first-time buyer.
• Whether the property is a freehold or leasehold.
• Whether the property is a new build.
• Whether first registration of title applies.
• Whether or not there is a mortgage.
• Whether or not there is an Islamic mortgage.
• In purchase cases, whether the property is a primary residence, buy to let, or second/holiday home.
• Whether there are multiple owners or purchases.
• Whether there is a shared ownership scheme.
• Whether there is a help to buy scheme
• Whether the purchase is under a right to buy scheme.
• Whether the property was purchased at auction.
• Whether the property has been repossessed.

NB: This list is not intended to be exhaustive.

For a no obligation quote please use our free conveyancing calculator.

VAT

All fees are quoted exclusive of VAT, we will charge VAT at the standard rate applied by the Government which is 20%.

Disbursements

During the sale or purchase there will be several disbursements payable, these are costs payable to third parties that relate to the matter, for example, stamp duty and fees payable to the HM Land Registry.

There will be additional disbursements payable for searches. A mortgage lender may insist searches are undertaken as part of the investigation of title. The searches we recommend are:

Local Search

This is a search that is almost invariably required on any purchase of a property. It is conducted with the Local Authority responsible for the property. The cost of this search varies all over the country but is typically in the region of £80 to £140. This search looks into such matters as:

• Road Proposals
• Adoption of the Highways
• Planning Permissions
• Environmental Health Matters
• Compulsory Purchase Orders
• Tree Preservation Orders

Enforcement Notices

Please note that the search only enquires about the property being purchased. It does not, for instance, enquire as to development in the vicinity of the property, such as adjacent vacant land or the proposed neighbour’s plans.

Mining Search

This report is only relevant in known coal mining areas of the country, that is to say where coal reserves are known to exist or have been mined in the past. The cost of this report is dictated by the search provider and or Coal Authority Board, you can expect to pay £50-65. The report is generated electronically and does not involve a physical inspection.

Other similar searches are available, such as tin, china, brine, and limestone mining.

Drainage Search

If purchasing with the aid of a mortgage, the lender will require a search application to the relevant water company for information as to whether the property is connected to the mains water supply and whether the sewers and drains are maintained and repaired by the water company or whether the owner of the property would be responsible for such work. This search varies according to the water company responsible, but it is usually around £55-70.

Environmental Search

Local Authorities must inspect and identify seriously contaminated sites. When a contaminated site is found, they can require certain persons to take remedial action. Liability falls primarily on those who cause the contamination. However, if that person cannot be found, liability falls on others, often the current owner or occupier of the land. Compliance can be costly and may result in expenditure which could exceed the value of the property.

An Environmental Search may be necessary to ascertain whether the property you are intending to purchase may potentially be affected by factors such as flooding, subsidence or landslip. The search provides information on these factors together with information regarding air quality, landfill sites, waste sites or contaminated sites near the property. This again is an electronic search and usually costs in the region of £55-65.

Additional searches are sometimes also advisable such as:

Chancel Search

The land on which the property is built may have a liability to contribute to the cost of repairs to the chancel of a church in the parish. This liability often will not be shown in the title to the property but may be binding on the current owners of the property. As it is linked to the land itself, it can affect old or new properties, urban or rural. The potential liability can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds. You can obtain a search for around £40 to identify the risk

Plan Search

This is a report providing current and historical planning information. Plan search goes beyond the boundaries of the Local Authority Search by providing information on planning applications and land use policies for the property and the surrounding area. The fee for this search is usually around £30

Flood Search

These are searches carried out with the environment agency and home insurers where data is evaluated to check the risk or potential risk of flooding. Please note the result is based on the postcode for the property. Each search costs approximately £30.

Telecommunications. Railway, Electric, and similar searches

This type of search is applicable where equipment runs near or through the property and is available with telecommunications companies such as BT, NTL and Telewest, regional electricity companies, Transco, Railtrack, London Underground, British Waterways Board and other similar bodies.

The search result will usually include details of any relevant infrastructure and rights or obligations affecting the property. The search fee varies considerably and can range from £20-£100.

Commons Search

This search will tell you whether the land is registered as Common Land or Town or Village Green. The search usually costs around £15.

Time Estimates

It is difficult to give you a precise time estimate as many variables can affect how quickly the house sale/purchase proceeds, for example, there is a chain or the matter is complicated. If the property is leasehold, enquiries will be raised with relevant management companies. Unfortunately, replies to these enquiries could take weeks to arrive.

For non-complex, freehold sale and purchase transactions, the average time to conclude a Conveyance ranges between 6-12 weeks.

Referral Agreements

If the matter has been introduced to us via an Estate Agent or Mortgage Adviser with whom we have a business relationship, we are required by the Code of Conduct published by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to notify clients that we will pay them a referral fee. That fee can range from £100-200 (plus VAT, if applicable) on completion of the case from our own funds. This cost is a standard authorised charge that a law firm may make to attract business. Any advice that we give will be independent and clients are free to raise questions on all aspects of the transaction. If a matter arises where we are acting for the Introducer as well as a vendor or purchaser and a conflict of interest arises, we may have to cease acting for one or both of the parties.